Randy Moss put up staggering numbers throughout his NFL career, including when he spent all or parts of eight seasons in Purple.
The former Vikings wide receiver ranks second all-time in career touchdown catches (156), is third in receiving yards (15,292) and ranks 15th in receptions with 982.
Those gaudy stats are enough for Elliot Harrison of NFL.com to believe that Moss will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 when Moss will be in his first year of eligibility for enshrinement.
Harrison wrote:
Moss was as uncoverable as (Terrell) Owens, with a dash of scare-the-crap-out-of-defensive-coordinators on the side. I'm not sure any wideout before or since Moss -- and yes, that includes Megatron -- has been feared as much.
Moss scored twice in his first game as a pro, then added a bundle more to set a rookie record with 17 [receiving touchdowns]. He tallied 90 -- 90! -- during his first seven years in the league. Consider that Don Maynard, Andre Reed, Lance Alworth, Paul Warfield, Art Monk and Michael Irvin are part of a large group of Hall of Fame wide receivers who didn't have that many over their entire careers.
Moss is third in receiving yards, behind only Rice and Owens, with 15,292. The scariest receiver this side of Bob Hayes should join Hayes in the Hall without having to wait 30 years (like Hayes).
The Vikings took Moss with the 21st overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
The former Marshall University standout impacted the league right away as he had 69 receptions for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns as a rookie.
Moss compiled 10 seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards and hit double-digit touchdown catches nine times. He set a single-season record with 23 touchdown catches in 2007 with New England.
Morgan could see increased role on offense
David Morgan mainly made his mark on special teams during his rookie season in 2016.
A year later, the Vikings end is more comfortable in Minnesota's offense, which could lead to an increased role for the Texas native.
Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune recently wrote that Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer believes Morgan is ready to contribute more as a run blocker.
Morgan has joined starter Kyle Rudolph in formations with two tight ends, which could be a more common sight for a Vikings offense trying to re-establish its run game. The expectation is Morgan will play more than the 63 snaps he got as a rookie sixth-round pick, according to coach Mike Zimmer.
"I anticipate he will," Zimmer said. "He's done a good job blocking. You know, he's always caught the ball well."
Morgan (6-4, 265 pounds) weighs the same as Rudolph but is 2 inches shorter. Morgan is built and touted as a sturdy run blocker, which is where the Vikings need more help after consistently allowing defenders into the backfield last season for the league's worst rushing attack. His success in walling off larger defensive ends or chasing down linebackers likely will determine how much he plays.
Morgan was a sixth-round pick out of the University of Texas-San Antonio, the school's first-ever draft selection.
